Excerpts from State Department Daily Briefing, January 25, 2001

Excerpts from State Department Daily Briefing, January 25, 2001

01/25/01 Daily Press Briefing

Daily Press Briefing
January 25, 2001

BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

Q: You said you would check on the violence on the border of Colombia and Ecuador. And today there is an article in The Washington Post talking about the base of Manta. Do you have comments on that?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes, we have seen these various reports. We are actually not in a position -- we are not able to substantiate the reports of any unusual violence along the border between Colombia and Ecuador. We have been watching northern Ecuador closely for indications of spillover effect from the conflict in Colombia. Our government and nongovernmental organizations that we are in touch with have really not reported any significant spillover effects such as any kind of unusual violence or a new influx of refugees.

We continue to believe that the best way to avert any such spillover effects is for the FARC to return to the peace table and to pursue in earnest a political solution to Colombia's internal strife.

Q: Richard, on Ecuador they seem to be having it bad, a couple of weeks. Some group this morning blew up one of their pipelines, actually the only pipeline. Do you have anything on that?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I didn't know that. We are still down there working on the Galapagos spill, and I think, as you know, we will see how we can be of further assistance. But at this point, no, I don't have anything on the pipeline.

Q: Considering the increased the violence and the resistance of the FARC leadership to engage in further negotiations, how concerned is the US? Does it consider this to be a serious setback to prospects for peace?

MR. BOUCHER: Considering the increased violence that I said doesn't exist on the border?

Q: Well, there has been -- you said there wasn't spillover, but there has been increased violence.

MR. BOUCHER: Yes, there has been an increase in general by the FARC. Well, I mean, certainly any violence that they carry out is deplorable and is a setback for the peace process, that what really needs to happen, if they are sincere, is to get back in the peace process and negotiate with the government to resolve these issues.

Q: Is he at all planning to visit Colombia any time soon?

MR. BOUCHER: We don't have anything new on travel.

As of January 26, 2001, this document was also available online at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/index.cfm?docid=23